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Tung-Oil Based Finishes for Walnut Trim 
Question
Forum Responses
From the original questioner: Thanks for your response Paul. I’m glad you mention the waterlox. The homeowner asked about that product. This is a new build, so overspray won’t be a problem. I’m wondering if painting the new drywall will be a problem with tung oil overspray on it, or will it dry enough to keep from bleeding thru the latex? How many coats of the waterlox would you suggest to look best? I did a couple samples on some walnut and it didn’t look that great after just two coats. I’m giving them another day to dry before putting a third coat on them. Also, would the waterlox be a good product for the exterior of the walnut door? The paint store suggested Watco teak oil. Sorry for all the questions, I’ve done all my wood packages with precat lacquer, so this is all new to me. Thanks for your help.
From contributor T: Waterlox is a minimum three coat finish, two original sealer and then a final of original sealer (gloss), or high gloss, or satin finish. It will look like crap until the third coat. You can do more coats for a thicker build but on tighter grained species like Walnut it’s not needed. From contributor R: I don't know if it can be used on trim, but I just used this product "Synteko Natural' for my walnut floors. I was contemplating using Waterlox tung oil, but liked the way Synteko formed a finish. It would be a challenge to apply by hand if you have a full library or a floor to ceiling wall system to do. My next suggestion would be a finish by ICA called 'Cerawood'. It looks and feels like a wax on finish, almost as if there is no coating on the wood. From Paul Snyder, forum technical advisor: Walnut is a dense hardwood and the finish doesn't soak into the wood the way it would with woods like pine, alder, cherry, etc. Depending on your application technique and the look the customer wants, you may need to apply as little as two coats or as many as four to five. After sanding the first coat smooth, you won't need to sand subsequent coats except to remove any further roughness or dust nibs. Waterlox original isn't a good choice for an exterior door. You want a finish with UV inhibitors to reduce the sun's damage to the wood and the finish itself (UVAs and HALs). Exterior rated finishes are also more flexible so they don't crack as the wood expands and contracts with the changes in temperature and humidity. No matter which exterior clear finish you choose, it will need to be sanded back and recoated on a scheduled basis to avoid failure. If the door is in direct sunlight, the time frame will be shorter than if the door is shielded by an overhanging roof. The amount of time can vary depending on the exposure and the product.
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